Folder cylinder

ABSTRACT

A rotatable folder cylinder includes a plurality of pin members mounted on a rotatable shaft extending axially of the cylinder. A rotatable cam arranged at one end of the shaft has an annular groove in a face presented to the shaft end. Two pairs of camming surfaces are formed in the groove, one farther from the face of the cam than the other. A cam follower mounted on the end of the shaft and carrying two roller bearings travels on either pair of camming surfaces, depending on whether the folder cylinder is operated in the collect mode or the straight mode. The cam is movable axially of the cylinder to shift the cam follower and its roller bearings from one pair of camming surfaces to the other. A locking mechanism holds the cam in its axial positions corresponding to straight and collect operation, respectively. An adjustable gear train for the cam permits timing adjustments of the pin members. The folder cylinder is also provided with an adjustable quadrant gear lock-up for holding one of its folder blades against rotation when in a silenced position.

0 United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,865,361

Neal Feb. 11, 1975 FOLDER CYLINDER Primary ExaminerWm. H. GriebAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Brumbaugh, Graves, [75] Inventor. Frank Neal,L1titz, Pa. Donohue & Raymond [73] Assignee: John C. Motter PrintingPress C0.,

York, Pa.

' [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1973 A rotatable folder cylindermcludes a plurality of pin [2]] Appl. No.: 396,248 members mounted on avrotatable shaft extending axially of the cylinder. A rotatable camarranged at one [52] US. Cl. 270/76, 101/411 end of the Shaft has anannular groove in a face P [51] Int. Cl B65h 45/16 emed to the shaft TWOPairs of Camming Surfaces [58} Field of Search 270/63-65, are formed inthe groove, one farthsr from the face of 270 7047 43; 101 the cam thanthe other. A cam follower mounted on the end of the shaft and carryingtwo roller bearings 5 References Cited travels on either pair of cammingsurfaces, depending UNn-ED STATES PATENTS on whether the folder cylinderis operated in the collect mode or the straight mode. The cam is movable223315231 21133? fiir' ii'fjiif"""iijjijijijf'iii: 333/13 axially of hcylinder to Shift the cam follower and its 2,797,085 6/1957 Crafts270/65 bearmgs q one cammmg 2,919,914 1/1960 Harless 270/77 other;lockmg mechfmlsm hold? the cam 3,020,042 2/1962 Worthington et al...270/77 9X19] poslllons correspondmg t0 stralght and Collect 3,038,7196/1962 Tyma 270/77 X Operation respectively An adjustable gear train for3,460,823 8/1969 Neal et a1. 270/77 the cam permits timing adjustmentsof the pin mem- 3,486,748 12/1969 Smiltens '270/ 7 bers. The foldercylinder is also provided with an ad- 3'5l71920 6H970 y 270/77 justablequadrant gear lock-up for holding one of its 3,787,042 Hertrich .,270/70folder blades against rotation when in a silenced position.

PATENTED FEB] 1 I975 v 3.865.136 1 sum 10F e PATENTEI] FEB] 1 I975 SHEET3 OF 6 FOLDER CYLINDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In printing apublication, such as a newspaper, printed images are applied tocontinuous webs or ribbons of paper, which are then cut to size andfolded. In conventional apparatus for cutting and folding the webs ofpaper, each web is first passed between two closely spaced and rotatingcylinders, designated a folder cylinder and a cutting cylinder,respectively. A set of pins projecting from the circumference of thefolder cylinder pierces the leading edge of the paper web and carriesthe web around the circumference of the folder cylinder. When the webhas been wound a selected distance about the folder cylinder, forexample, a distance corresponding to the width of a double page ofnewspaper, the web is cut and a second set of pins engages the newleading edge of the paper web formed by the cut. Cutting is effected byone or more cutting blades mounted adjacent the circumference of thecutting cylinder, which is geared to rotate in appropriate relationshipwith the folder cylinder.

Simultaneously with the cutting of the paper web, the first set of pinsretracts into the cylinder to disengage the severed length of paper anda folder blade extends outwardly from the circumference of the cylinderat a point corresponding to the longitudinal midpoint of the severedpaper length. The folder blade pushes the severed length of paperbetween a pair of pairs of oppositely rotating folding or tuckingrollers. Because of their counter-rotation, the folding rollers pinchthe length of paper and then draw it between them, producing a crimp orfold and also removing the paper from the folder cylinder. As the nowfolded, severed length of paper emerges from the opposite side of thefolding rollers, it falls between two adjacent blades of a delivery fanthat rotates beneath the rollers. The folded paper length rotates withthe fan through approximately l80, until it is dropped from the fan ontoa conveyor.

When the folder cylinder is operated as described above, so that eachsuccessively severed length of paper is immediately removed from thecylinder, the operation is termed a straight run. In another mode ofoperation, the first set of pins holding the leading edge of the paperweb is not retracted when a length of paper is severed from the web, noris a folder blade extended to push the severed length between thefolding rollers. Instead, the length of paper is carried on the foldercylinder for one complete revolution so that a second length of paper iswrapped on top of the first. When the second length of paper is severedfrom the continuous web, the first set of pins, now holding both lengthsof paper, is retracted and a folder blade is extended, as in a straightrun. Such operation of the folder cylinder is termed a collect run. ineither mode of operation, the web of paper, and hence the lengthssevered from it, may comprise a number of webs that have previously beenbrought together to lie on top of each other.

One commonly used type of folder cylinder, often referred to as a 3:2folder, utilizes three sets of pins and two folder blades. The sets ofpins' are spaced equidistantly about the circumference of the cylinderand the pins of each set are arranged in a line along the length of thecylinder. The folder blades are rotatable about their longitudinal axesand are also mounted on a frame that rotates independently of the foldercylinder frame carrying the pins. The two rotational movements of theblades are timed so that each blade contacts alternate lengths of papersevered from the continuous web.

The use of three sets of pins on a 3:2 folder cylinder permits thecylinder to engage three severed lengths of paper in succession duringone revolution. For proper operation of the folder blades in a straightrun, therefore, the folder blade mounting frame must make threerevolutions about its axis for every two revolutions of the foldercylinder. Collect operation of the folder blades is achieved bysilencing one of the blades, i.e., holding it against rotation about itslongitudinal axis so that it is not extended beyond the circumference ofthe folder-cylinder when presented to a severed length of paper engagedby the cylinder. Silencing a folder blade can be effected by disengagingthe blade from its drive mechanism and locking the blade against freerotation. In the folder cylinder described and illustrated in Snyder US.Pat. No. 3,517,920, for example, one gear of the gear train for atucking or folder blade is slid out of engagement with an associateddriving gear and into engagement with a pin mounted in a fixed locationon the folder blade housing or mounting frame.

While the use of a pin lock-up for a silenceable or collect folder bladeis feasible,,it requires precise, and therefore expensive, fabricationof various folder cylinder components. As pointed out at column 3, lineto column 4, line 8 of the Snyder patent, folder blades mustoccasionally be timed. In the Snyder folder cylinder, timing isinitiated by disengaging the movable intermediate gear of the collectfolder blade gear train from its driving sun gear. The locking pin isalso re moved from the folder blade housing to permit the intermediategear and the collect folder blade to rotate independently of the livefolder blade. When the two folder blades have been oriented in properlytimed relationship, the locking pin presumably is replaced in the folderblade housing to engage the intermediate gear. The hole for the lockingpin in the folder blade housing thus must be carefully located so as toalign with a groove between two gear teeth in the movable intermediategear when the folder blades are properly timed. To insure properlocation of the locking pin hole, each of the various gears of the twofolder blade gear trains must also be precisely oriented on its mountingshaft, which requires precise cutting of the gear teeth with respect tothe keyway in the gear hub for keying the gear on its shaft. Even if thelocking pin hole were to be field drilled, for example, to assure properlocation, replacement gears would still have to match exactly the gearsto be replaced.

As described above, the folder blades for a folder cylinder can beconveniently shifted from straight to collect operation simply bydisengaging one of the folder blades from its drive train. The pins forthe folder cylinder,.however, can not be so easily shifted from straightto collect operation because all of the pins must continue to operate inboth straight and collect runs. The difference between the two modes ofoperation for the pins lies in the timing for retracting each set ofpins and thereby disengaging a length of paper held by the set of pins.

In a typical prior art folder cylinder, as described and illustrated,for example, in Harless US. Pat. No. 2,919,914, each of three sets ofpins is mounted on an associated shaft extending axially along thecylinder.

The pin shaft is rocked in appropriately timed relationship by a crankmountedon one end of the shaft and carrying a pair of follower rollers.Each follower roller cooperates with one ofa pair of cams that arerotatably mounted adjacent the end of the shaft and receive the followerrollers for all three pin shafts.

Although theHarless patent does not disclose how to shift the pins fromstraight to collect operation, folder cylinders having outboard pin camsof the l-Iarless type have been shifted from straight to collectoperation both by varying the rotational speed of the cams and byproviding two differently configured, interchangeable cam segmentinserts for each cam. Varying the rotational speed of a cam requireseither a two-speed power source or a gear train that can be shifted toprovide the two different rotational speeds. Both the two-speed powersource and the shiftable gear train involve additional production costsand additional complexity that increases maintenance and the possibilityof mechanical failure, as compared to a single-speed power source and asimple, non-shiftable gear train. The use of interchangeable inserts tochange the configurations of the pin cams requires precise machining ofthe various cam parts. not only to insure interchangeability of theinserts, but also to avoid any unevenness at the joints between the caminserts and the remainder ofthe cams, which might cause undesirablemovement of the pins. Foreign material, such as paper dust, is alsolikely to find its way into the joint between each insert and itscorresponding cam, increasing the wear on the cam parts.

Another prior art assembly for shifting pin operation from straight tocollect, as described and illustrated in Hilgoe US. Pat. No. 2,797,084,utilizes a pair of adjacent, but differently configured cams for eachfolder cylinder pin member. The pairs of cams for the pin members ofeach set are all mounted on a single rotating shaft that is axiallymovable relative to the pin members to shift the pin members from onemode of operation to the other. The large number of cams, cam followers,and the additional cam shafts necessary for the assembly increase thepossibility of mechanical failure and the expense of fabrication andassembly. The cams must also be produced on'precision duplicatingequipment, which further increases production costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to arotatable folder cylinder which overcomes the above-noted difficultiesthat are encountered when shifting a prior art folder cylinder fromstraight operation to collect operation or vice versa. The presentfolder cylinder includes at least one set of pin members coupled to apin shaft and responsive to rotation of the shaft. A rotatable cam isarranged adjacent the'pin shaft and has at least two camming surfacesformed on one of its faces presented to the shaft. The cam is preferablyarranged at one end of the pin shaft and two pairs of camming surfacesare preferably formed in an annular groove in the cam face presented tothe shaft end, one farther from the cam face than the other. A camfollower is mounted on the end of the pin shaft adjacent the cam andcarries a pair of roller bearings that travel on one or the other of thetwo pairs of camming surfaces. The pairs of camming surfaces areappropriately configured to effect operation of the pin members, throughthe pin shaft, in the straight and the collect mode, respectively. Toshift the folder cylinder and the pin members from straight to collectoperation or vice versa, the cam is moved axially relative to the foldercylinder, causing the cam follower to shift from one pair of cammingsurfaces to the other.

As can be seen from the above description, the present folder cylinderis a less expensive and more maintenance free folding mechanism than theprior art devices. Specifically, the provision of two differentlyconfigured pairs of camming surfaces in the outboard cam of the presentinvention avoids the additional production and maintenance expenses ofeither a two-speed power source or a shiftable gear train for the cam.The precise machining and increased wear likely with cam inserts arealso eliminated. At the same time, the present invention avoids themultiplicity of components and the attendant increased production costsof providing cam member pairs for each pin member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, axial movement of the pincam is accompanied by axial sliding movement of a cam control rodcoupled to the cam. To insure that the cam will not accidentally bemoved out of position during operation of the folder cylinder, a lockingmechanism holds the control rod in aselected axial position. One end ofthe rod extends through the folder cylinder frame and has a grooveencircling it. The groove is engaged by one of a pair of eccentricallycoupled shafts that rotate about the longitudinal axis of the secondshaft. The free end of the second eccentric shaft is square so that itcan be turned with a wrench, for example, to rotate both eccentricshafts and shift the cam from one operating position to the other. Aslot is formed in the square end of the second eccentric shaft and itreceives a bladed member pivotally mounted adjacent the slotted end. Theslot and the bladed member are oriented so that the bladed member can beseated in the slot only when the cam control rod is either fullyextended from or fully retracted in the folder cylinder frame. Thelocking mechanism thus insures that the cam is either in the straightrun position or in the collect run position and not in an intermediateposition. The bladed member is also coupled to a switch that interruptspower to the folder cylinder or to the entire printing press if thebladed member is not seated in the slotted end of the second eccentricshaft.

The pin cam has a gear train that can be adjusted to vary the timing ofthe pin member operation. The gear train includes a driving gear, adriven gear coupled to the cam, and a pair of intermediate gears. Oneof'the two intermediate gears is carried on a lever pivotally andconcentrically mounted relative to the driving gear. Pivotal movement ofthe lever effects limited epicyclic movement of the intermediate gearand thereby adjusts the timing of both the pin cam rotation and theresultant operation of the pin members.

The collect folder blade for the preferred embodiment of the presentfolder cylinder is provided with an adjustable lock-up. When the folderblades for the cylinder are timed, the position of the lock-up can beadjusted so that the lock-up will properly mesh with the gear train forthe collect blade. The adjustable lock-up, together with adjustablemountings for the folder blades, eliminates the need for preciselycontrolled fabrication of the gears for the folder' blade gear trains.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of theinvention, reference may be made to the following description of anexemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the figures of theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of one end of a folder cylinder according tothe invention;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the other end of the folder cylinder ofFIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the folder cylinder of FIGS. 1A and 1B, takenfrom the end of the cylinder shown in FIG. 1A; I

FIG. 3 is a top view of the pin cam locking mechanism shown in FIG. 2,taken along view line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along view line 44 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a top view, partly in section, of the end of the foldercylinder shown in FIG. 1A in which the cam followers are out of phaserelative to FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along view line 6-6 of FIG. 2 butinverted with respect to FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the folder cylinder of FIGS. 1A and 1B, takenthrough the center of the cylinder and looking toward the end of thecylinder illustrated in FIG. 18;

FIG. 8 is a view, partly in section, taken along view 22 and 24 carriedby the camfollowers 20. The bearings 22 travel on either of tracks 26 or30, while the bearings 24 travel on either of tracks 28 or 32. The useof dual tracks in the groove 18 reduces wear on each of the bearings 22and 24 and also reduces the bending stress exerted on the cam followers20.

The configurations and relative orientation of the two pairs of tracks26, 28 and 30, 32 in the cam 14 is best illustrated in FIG. 4. As can beseen, the otherwise circular tracks 30 and 32 have a single flattenedportion or node, while the tracks 26 and 28 have a pair ofcircumferentially spaced apart flattened portions. The flattened portionof the tracks 30 and 32 is located immediately behind the right-handflattened portion of tracks 26 and 28, as viewed in FIG. 4. Each of theflattened portions of the tracks 26-32 causes corresponding rotation ofeach pin shaft 12 as its cam follower travels over the flattenedportion. As indicated in FIG.

line 88 of FIG. 7, showing the collect folder blade gear train inposition for collect operation; and

FIG. 9 is a view, partly in section, taken along view line 8-8 of FIG.7, showing the collect folder blade gear'train in position for straightoperation.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1A and 1B of the drawings illustrate, inaxial cross-section, a 3:2 folder cylinder according to the invention.The adjustable bands that define the exterior surface of the foldercylinder have not been illustrated for convenience in describing thepresent invention, but the hands, if shown, would encircle the cylinderabout its longitudinal axis.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1A, IB, and 7, three sets of pin members 10 aremounted on three pin shafts 12 spaced at equal distances about thecircumference of the folder cylinder. The pin members 10 of each set arearranged in a line and spaced axially apart along their respective shaft12. The pin members 10 are secured to the shaft 12 so that they normallyproject through the periphery of the folder cylinder, between theadjustable bands (not shown), to engage the leading edge of a web ofpaper 13 presented to the folder cylinder. Rotation of the shaft 12causes the pin members 10 to retract into the folder cylinder, as shownin the lower left-hand corner of FIG. 7. Reverse rotation of the shaft12 causes the pin members 10 to resume their normal position.

Mounted adjacent the left-hand ends of the pin shafts 12, as viewed inFIG. 1A, and concentric with the folder cylinder is an annular pin cam14. The face 16 of the pin cam 14 which is presented to the left-handends of the pin shafts 12 has a groove 18 formed in it. The groove 18accepts three cam followers 20, one mounted on the left-hand end of eachpin shaft 12.

.Each cam follower 20 resembles a crank and carries two roller bearings22 and 24 on its free end.

The groove 18 in the pin cam 14 has two pairs of raised tracks 26, 28and 30, 32 projecting from its side walls at axially spaced locationsthereon. The tracks of each pair afford running surfaces for the rollerbearings 4, the pin members 10 associated with the shaft 12 are firstretracted to release the severed length or lengths of paper held by themand are then returned to their normal projecting positions.

In operation, when the cam 14 is moved to its farthest right-handposition, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 4 and 5, by a mechanism describedhereinafter, the roller bearings 22 and 24 of the cam followers 20travel on the pair of tracks 30, 32 in groove 18 and the pin members 10operate in the collect mode. When the cam 14 is moved to its farthestleft-hand position, as viewed in FIG. 1A, the roller bearings 22 and 24travel on the pair of tracks 26, 28 and the pin members 10 operate inthe straight mode. Shifting of the cam followers 20 from one pair oftracks to the other is achieved at a point or points where the tracks 28and 30 and the tracks 26 and 32 are disposed at the same positionsradially in the cam 14. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,the pin cam 14 must rotate 50 percent faster than the folder cylinderand the pin shafts 12, for example, at 600 rpm. and 400 rpm,respectively, for properly timed operation of the pin members 12.

To facilitate axial movement of the cam 14, it is fastened, along itsradially inward side edge, by lug bolts 34 to a smaller diameter,annular cam hub 36. The cam hub 36 is longer than the cam 14 and one end38 of the cam hub extends axially away from the cam, to the left asviewed in FIG. 1A. The radially outward surface of the end 38 of the camhub 36 is machined to provide gear teeth 40 that form part of the geartrain, described hereinafter and illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, forrotating the cam 14. The cam hub 36 is, in turn, coupled for relativerotation to a smaller diameter annular sleeve 42. The coupling isachieved by interposing a pair of bearings 44 between the outercircumference of the sleeve 42 and the inner circumference of the camhub 36 and holding the bearings against axial movement relative toeither the sleeve or the cam hub. Since the cam hub 36 is rotatablerelative to the sleeve 42, the hub and the cam 14 are free to rotate asdriven by the gear train acting on the gear teeth 40 on the hub.

The sleeve 42 is carried on an annular support 46 that has a flange 48at one end. The flange 48 is bolted to the folder cylinder frame 50 andthus forms a part of the frame. A cylindrical cam control rod 52 isreceived in the central opening of the annular support 46. The controlrod 52 is coupled to the sleeve 42 by a dowel 54 that passes through abore 56 traversing the control rod and through a pair of aligned holes58 in the sleeve. A pair of aligned slots 60 in the support 46 permitthe dowel 54 to pass through the support and to move axially relative tothe support, when the cam 14 is shifted from one operating position tothe other.

One end of the control rod 52 projects from the lefthand end of thesupport 46, as viewed in FIG. 1A, and is encircled by annular groove 62.The groove 62 receives one end of a stub shaft or lug 64 mountedadjacent the outer circumference ofa disc 66 disposed with its centralaxis oriented radially of the longitudinal axis of the control rod 52.The disc 66 is, in turn, mounted on one end of a second stub shaft 68that extends from the disc 66 on the opposite side thereof from the lug64. The lug 64, disc 66, and stub shaft 68 may be formed as separatecomponents or as an integral unit and all are enclosed by anappropriately configured cover 70, which also encloses the projectingend of the control rod 52.

As can be seen in FIG. 1A, the free end 72 of the stub shaft 68 issquared off, for example, so that it can be engaged by a wrench or othertool. The cover 70 is also spaced from the end 72 of the stub shaft 68to afford the room necessary for the tool to be placed over the shaftend. Axial movement of the cam 14 to shift operation of the foldercylinder pin members from straight to collect operation, or vice versa,is thus achieved by turning the stub shaft 68, which causes axialmovement of the control rod 52, the sleeve 42, the cam hub 36, and,finally, the cam 14.

To ensure that the stub shaft 68 is not accidentally rotated to shiftthe operating position of the cam 14, the square end 72 of the shaft 68is provided with a slot 74. The slot 74 receives a blade 76 formed onone surface of a cap member 78 pivotally mounted on the flange 48 of thesupport 46, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Pivotal movement of the capmember 78 engages or discngages the blade 76 with the slot 74 to lock orrelease the stub shaft 68. Since the blade 76 is aligned to engage theslot 74 only when the stub shaft 68 is rotated to one of two positionsspaced 180 apart, appropriate orientation of the slot 74 on the shaftend 72 ensures that the control rod 52 is either fully extended from orfully received in the support 46 when engaging alignment is attained.The cam 14 must, therefore, be in one or the other of its two operatingpositions, rather than in an intermediate position, when the blade 76 isseated in the slot 74.

As further protection against inadvertent or malicious shifting of thecam 14 during operation of the folder cylinder, the cap member 78 isconnected by a linkage 80 to a microswitch 82. The microswitch 82 iselectrically connected into the electric circuit (not shown) supplyingcurrent to operate either the folder cylinder alone or the entire pressassembly. When the switch 82 is open, current to the folder cylinder orthe press is interrupted and the cylinder or press can not be operated.In the illustrated embodiment of the locking mechanism, the microswitch82 interrupts the current when the cap member 78 is tipped more than5out of its horizontal position in which the blade 76 is seated in theslot 74.

To meet applicable safety regulations, the locking mechanism is alsoexplosion proof. A pneumatically actuated piston 84 is mounted by a pairof brackets 86 on the flange 48 of the support 46. The plunger 88projecting from the piston 84 engages a recess formed in the free end 90of the cap member 78. When the plunger 88 is fully extended and receivedin the recess, the cap member 78 can not pivot out of locking engagementwith the stub shaft 68. The plunger 88 is normally in an extendedposition and the piston 84 must, therefore, be energized to release thecap member 78. The energizing circuit for the piston 84 may also beconnected into the power circuit for the folder cylinder or the pressassembly so that when the piston is energized, the power to the foldercylinder or the press is interrupted.

As previously described, the cam hub 36, which is fastened to the pincam 14, has gear teeth 40 that form part of the gear train for rotatingthe cam. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the gear train also includes twointermediate gears 92 and 94 and a driving gear 96. The driving gear 96is mounted on a cross-shaft 98 coupled to a power source (not shown).Power to rotate the cam 14 is supplied from the driving gear 96 throughthe intermediate gear 94 to the intermediate gear 92 and then to thegear teeth 40 formed on the cam hub 36. The intermediate gear 92 ismounted on a shaft 100 which is located at a fixed position on thefolder cylinder frame 50. The intermediate gear 94, however, is mountedon a shaft 102 carried on one end of a lever arm 104 pivotally andconcentrically mounted about the cross-shaft 98.

Pivotal movement of the lever arm 104 effects epicyclical motion of theintermediate gear 94, within limits set by its necessary engagement withthe intermediate gear 92, and thereby varies the timing, relative to theoperation of the folder cylinder folder blades, of the operation of thepin members 10. Such an adjustment of the pin member timing may benecessary, for example, because of variations in the thickness of thepaper web being folded. The pivotal movement of the lever arm 104 isaccomplished by turning the square, free end 106 of a worm 108 andthereby moving a worm ring 110 coupled to a tang 112 extending from thelever arm 104. The worm ring 110 is pivotally coupled to the tang 112and the worm 108 is pivotally mounted, by a mounting ring 114, on thecylinder frame to allow pivotal movement of the lever arm.

The cross-shaft 98 also carries a driving gear 116 which drives the geartrain, generally designated 118, for the folding rollers 120. Thefolding rollers 120 operate as generally described above and asillustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 1B of the drawings illustrates the right-hand end of the foldercylinder, the left-hand end of which is illustrated in FIG. 1A. FIG. 18illustrates, in particular, the live folder blade 122 for the foldercylinder. The collect folder blade 124 is not shown in FIG. 1B forconvenience, but the relative locations of the two folder blades areindicated in FIG. 7 and in FIG. 1A, in which-the mounting shaft 126 forthe collect folder blade is shown in part. Both folder blades 122 and124 are slotted at intervals along their lengths to accommodate theadjustable bands (not shown) for the folder cylinder.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the live folder blade 122 is bolted, or otherwisesecured, to its mounting shaft 128. The right-hand end of the mountingshaft 128 is, in turn, secured by lug bolts 130 to the left-hand end ofa pinion shaft 132. The lug bolts 130 pass through arcuate slots in aflange 134 formed adjacent the end of the mounting shaft 128 and intothreaded holes in a flange 136 formed at the end of the pinion shaft132.

The pinion shaft 132 carries a pinion gear 138 that is keyed onto thepinion shaft. To complete the gear train for the live folder blade 122,the pinion gear 138 meshes with an intermediate gear 140, shown in FIGS.8 and 9, mounted on an intermediate gear shaft 142. The intermediategear 140 meshes with a sun gear 144 mounted concentrically with thefolder cylinder and coupled to power source (not shown). A similar geartrain and mounting shaft-pinion shaft connection are provided for thecollect folder blade 124, and the corresponding parts are indicated withprimed reference numerals in the drawings. I

As can be seen in FIGS. 18, 8, and 9, the gear teeth on the pinion gear138 for the collect folder blade 124 extend the entire length of thegear. On the other hand, the gear teeth 150 and 152 on the intermediategear 140' and the sun gear 144, respectively, are separated axially intotwo halves. Thus, while the pinion gear 138' always meshes with theintermediate gear 140', axial movement of the intermediate gear 140'relative to the sun gear 144 causes the intermediate gear and the sungear to engage with or disengage from each other, as shown in FIGS. 9and 8, respectively. When the intermediate gear 140 and the sun gear 144are disengaged, the collect blade 124 is silenced, or renderedinoperative, as described above in general terms. Relative axialmovement of the intermediate gear 140 is achieved by axial slidingmovement of its shaft 142. Sliding movement of the shaft 142 is effectedby an eccentric 'assembly 154 generally similar to the lug 64, disc 66,and stub shaft 68 utilized to achieve axial movement of the cam 14 anddescribed above.

The intermediate gear shaft 142 is held against accidental axialmovement by a spring loaded slide 156 that engages either of two slots158 in the shaft. The slots 158 are spaced axially apart along the shaft142' to correspond with the two operating positions of the intermediategear 140' relative to the sun gear 144. Accidental rotation of theintermediate gear 140' and the collect folder blade 124, during collectoperation of the folder cylinder, is prevented by a lock-up in which aquadrant gear 160 meshes with the intermediate gear 140'. The quadrantgear 160 is mounted on one end of a stub shaft 162 held in place on thefolder blade mounting frame by a bushing 164 that has a lug 166projecting from one end. The major portions of both bushing 164 and thestub shaft 162 extend into the folder blade mounting frame, so that thelug 166 contacts the exterior surface of the frame. A screw 168 insertedthrough holes in the lug 166 and the folder blade mounting frame securesthe bushing 164 to the frame.

The stub shaft 162 is rotatable in the bushing 164 to adjust theengagement of the quadrant gear 160 with the intermediate gear 140'. Tofacilitate rotational adjustment of the stub shaft 162 and the quadrantgear 160 mounted thereon, an adjustment lever170 is keyed onto the endof the stub shaft 162 projecting from the side of the folder blademounting frame. When the quadrant gear 160 has been properly adjusted,it is held in place by a stop 172 that is bolted to the folder bladeframe by a lug bolt 174 and frictionally engages the adjustment lever170.

The adjustment possible with the quadrant gear 160 eliminates having tokey the position at which the gear projects into the folder blademounting frame to the relative orientation of the gear teeth 150 of aproperly timed intermediate gear for the collect folder blade 124. Thebenefits of the adjustable lock-up are more fully realized when oneconsiders that the slots provided in the flanges formed at the ends ofthe folder blade shafts permit adjustment of the orientation of thefolder blades relative to their pinion gears. Because both the lock-upand the connections between the folder blade shafts and the pinionshafts are adjustable, the folder blades 122 and 124 can be roughlytimed by: (l disengaging the collect folder blade gear train from thesun gear 144; (2) moving the quadrant gear axially out of engagementwith the intermediate gear 140'; (3) rotating the collect blade geartrain relative to the live blade gear train; and (4) re-engaging thecollect blade gear train with the sun gear 144. Fine adjustment of thetiming is accomplished by adjusting the relative orientation of the twomounting shafts and their corresponding pinion shafts. The lock-up isthen replaced axially in the folder blade mounting frame and rotated asnecessary to engage the intermediate gear 140'. Since the various gearsdo not need to be oriented precisely on their shafts, the gear teeth donot have to be cut in exact relation to the keyways formed in theinterior surfaces of the gears. Considerable expense and the possibilityof machining error is thus eliminated from the gear production.

It will be understood that the above described embodiment is merelyexemplary and that those skilled in the art may make many variations andmodifications without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. All such modifications and variations are intended to bewithin the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rotatable folder cylinder comprising a rotatable shaft, a pluralityof pin members coupled to the shaft and responsive to rotation thereof,a cam having at least two camming surfaces thereon, and a cam followercoupled to the shaft to effect the rotation thereof and adapted totravel on each of the camming surfaces, the cam and the shaft beingadapted for relative axial movement selectively to transfer the camfollower between the camming surfaces, the two camming surfaces beingdisposed at discrete axial locations on the cam and being configured toeffect operation of the plurality of pin members in the collect mode andin the straight mode, respectively.

2. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 1, wherein the cam isrotatable.

3. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 1, wherein the twocamming surfaces are located in an annular groove formed in an exteriorsurface of the cam, one of the camming surfaces being located in thegroove farther from said exterior surface of the cam than the other ofthe camming surfaces.

4. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 1, wherein the cam isdisposed at one end of the shaft.

5. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 1, wherein the shaftis held in a fixed axial position and the cam is movable axiallyrelative to the shaft.

6. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 5, further comprisingan axially movable control rod coupled to and extending axially of thecam, a pair of eccentric shafts coupled to each other, one of theeccentric shafts engaging the control rod and the other of the eccentricshafts having a slotted end, and a bladed member pivotally mountedadjacent the slotted end and engageable with the slotted end to hold theeccentric shafts against rotation and the control rod and the camagainst axial movement.

7. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 6, further comprisinga switch coupled to the bladed member and responsive to pivotal movementof the bladed member, the switch being adapted to interrupt operation ofthe folder cylinder when the bladed member has pivoted away from theslotted end of the other of the eccentric shafts beyond a predeterminedposition.

8. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 6, further comprisinga latching member that is movable into engagement with a recess formedin the bladed member when the bladed member is seated in the slotted endof the other of the eccentric shafts to prevent pivotal movement of thebladed member away from the slotted end.

9. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 2,

further comprising a rotatable driven gear coupled to the cam to effectrotation thereof, a rotatable driving gear spaced from the driven gear,and rotatable intermediate gear means meshing with the driving anddriven gears for transmitting rotational movement therebetween, theintermediate gear means including an intermediate gear mounted forlimited and selected epicyclic movement to adjust operation of the pinmembers.

10. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 9,

wherein-the intermediate gear means further includes a lever pivotallymounted at one end concentrically with the driving gear and carryingsaid intermediate gear at its other end.

11. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 1, further comprisinga rotatable folder blade, a gear train operatively coupled to the folderblade to effect rotation thereof, drive means for driving the geartrain, the gear train and drive means being adapted for selectiveengagement with an disengagement from each other, and quadrant gearmeans including a quadrant gear adapted to mesh with a gear of the geartrain when the gear train is disengaged from the drive means to preventrotation of the gear train and the folder blade, the quadrant gear beingrotatable to permit selection of a circumferential orientation thereof,and locking means for securing the quadrant gear in a selectedcircumferential orientation.

[2. In a rotatable folder cylinder including a plurality of pin membersand axially movable cam means for effecting inward and outward movementof the pin members relative to the external circumference of the foldercylinder in each of the straight and collect modes of operation inaccordance with the axial position of the cam means, the improvementcomprising a control rod coupled to the cam means for axial movementtherewith, a pair of eccentric shafts coupled to each other, one of theeccentric shafts engaging the control rod and the other of the eccentricshafts having a slotted end, and a bladed member pivotally mountedadjacent the slotted end and engageable with the slotted end to hold theeccentric shafts against rotation and the control rod and the cam meansagainst axial movement.

13. The improvement of claim 12, further comprising a switch coupled tothe bladed member and responsive to pivotal movement of the bladedmember, the switch being adapted to interrupt operation of the foldercylinder when the bladed member has pivoted away from the slotted end ofthe other of the eccentric shafts beyond a predetermined position.

14. The improvement of claim 12, further comprising a latching memberthat is movable into engagement with 'a recess formed in the bladedmember when the bladed member is seated in the slotted end of the otherof the eccentric shafts to prevent pivotal movement of the bladed memberaway from the slotted end.

15. In a rotatable folder cylinder including a rotatable folder blade, agear train operatively coupled to the folder blade to effect rotationthereof, and a drive means for driving the gear train, the drive meansand gear train being adapted for selective engagement with anddisengagement from each other, the improvement comprising quadrant gearmeans including a quadrant gear adapted to mesh .with a gear of the geartrain when the gear train is disengaged from the drive means to preventrotation of the gear train and the folder blade, the quadrant gear beingrotatable to permit selection of a circumferential orientation thereof,and locking means for securing the quadrant gear in a selectedcircumferential orientation.

16. In a rotatable folder cylinder including a plurality of pin members,rotatable cam means for effecting inward and outward movement of the pinmembers relative to the external circumference of the folder cylinder, agear train operatively coupled to the cam means to effect rotationthereof, and drive means for driving the gear train, the improvementcomprising a gear of the gear train mounted for limited and selectedepicyclic movement to adjust operation of the pin members.

17. The improvement of claim 16, wherein the drive means includes arotatable driving gear and further comprising a lever pivotally mountedat one end concentrically with the driving gear and carrying said gearof the gear train at its other end.

1. A rotatable folder cylinder comprising a rotatable shaft, a pluralityof pin members coupled to the shaft and responsive to rotation thereof,a cam having at least two camming surfaces thereon, and a cam followercoupled to the shaft to effect the rotation thereof and adapted totravel on each of the camming surfaces, the cam and the shaft beingadapted for relative axial movement selectively to transfer the camfollower between the camming surfaces, the two camming surfaces beingdisposed at discrete axial locations on the cam and being configured toeffect operation of the plurality of pin members in the collect mode andin the straight mode, respectively.
 2. A rotatable folder cylinderaccording to claim 1, wherein the cam is rotatable.
 3. A rotatablefolder cylinder according to claim 1, wherein the two camming surfacesare located in an annular groove formed in an exterior surface of thecam, one of the camming surfaces being located in the groove fartherfrom said exterior surface of the cam than the other of the cammingsurfaces.
 4. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 1, whereinthe cam is disposed at one end of the shaft.
 5. A rotatable foldercylinder according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is held in a fixedaxial position and the cam is movable axially relative to the shaft. 6.A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 5, further comprising anaxially movable control rod coupled to and extending axially of the cam,a pair of eccentric shafts coupled to each other, one of the eccentricshafts engaging the control rod and the other of the eccentric shaftshaving a slotted end, and a bladed member pivotally mounted adjacent theslotted end and engageable with the slotted end to hold the eccentricshafts against rotation and the control rod and the cam against axialmovement.
 7. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 6, furthercomprising a switch coupled to the bladed member and responsive topivotal movement of the bladed member, the switch being adapted tointerrupt operation of the folder cylinder when the bladed member haspivoted away from the slotted end of the other of the eccentric shaftsbeyond a predetermined position.
 8. A rotatable folder cylinderaccording to claim 6, further comprising a latching member that ismovable into engagement with a recess formed in the bladed member whenthe bladed member is seated in the slotted end of the other of theeccentric shafts to prevent pivotal movement of the bladed member awayfrom the slotted end.
 9. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim2, further comprising a rotatable driven gear coupled to the cam toeffect rotation thereof, a rotatable driving gear spaced from the drivengear, and rotatable intermediate gear means meshing with the driving anddriven gears for transmitting rotational movement therebetween, theintermediate gear means including an intermediate gear mounted forlimited and selected epicyclic movement to adjust operation of the pinmembers.
 10. A rotatable folder cylinder according to claim 9, whereinthe intermediate gear means further includes a lever pivotally mountedat one end concentrically with the driving gear and carrying saidintermediate gear at its other end.
 11. A rotatable folder cylinderaccording to claim 1, further comprising a rotatable folder blade, agear train operatively coupled to the folder blade to effect rotationthereof, drive means for driving the gear train, the gear train anddrive means being adapted for selective engagement with an disengagementfrom each other, and quadrant gear means including a quadrant gearadapted to mesh with a gear of the gear train when the gear train isdisengaged from the drive means to prevent rotation of the gear trainand the folder blade, the quadrant gear being rotatable to permitselection of a circumferential orientation thereof, and locking meansfor securing the quadrant gear in a selected circumferentialorientation.
 12. In a rotatable folder cylinder including a plurality ofpin members and axially movable cam means for effecting inward andoutward movement of the pin members relative to the externalcircumference of the folder cylinder in each of the straight and collectmodes of operation in accordance with the axial position of the cammeans, the improvement comprising a control rod coupled to the cam meansfor axial movement therewith, a pair of eccentric shafts coupled to eachother, one of the eccentric shafts engaging the control rod and theother of the eccentric shafts having a slotted end, and a bladed memberpivotally mounted adjacent the slotted end and engageable with theslotted end to hold the eccentric shafts against rotation and thecontrol rod and the cam means against axial movement.
 13. Theimprovement of claim 12, further comprising a switch coupled to thebladed member and responSive to pivotal movement of the bladed member,the switch being adapted to interrupt operation of the folder cylinderwhen the bladed member has pivoted away from the slotted end of theother of the eccentric shafts beyond a predetermined position.
 14. Theimprovement of claim 12, further comprising a latching member that ismovable into engagement with a recess formed in the bladed member whenthe bladed member is seated in the slotted end of the other of theeccentric shafts to prevent pivotal movement of the bladed member awayfrom the slotted end.
 15. In a rotatable folder cylinder including arotatable folder blade, a gear train operatively coupled to the folderblade to effect rotation thereof, and a drive means for driving the geartrain, the drive means and gear train being adapted for selectiveengagement with and disengagement from each other, the improvementcomprising quadrant gear means including a quadrant gear adapted to meshwith a gear of the gear train when the gear train is disengaged from thedrive means to prevent rotation of the gear train and the folder blade,the quadrant gear being rotatable to permit selection of acircumferential orientation thereof, and locking means for securing thequadrant gear in a selected circumferential orientation.
 16. In arotatable folder cylinder including a plurality of pin members,rotatable cam means for effecting inward and outward movement of the pinmembers relative to the external circumference of the folder cylinder, agear train operatively coupled to the cam means to effect rotationthereof, and drive means for driving the gear train, the improvementcomprising a gear of the gear train mounted for limited and selectedepicyclic movement to adjust operation of the pin members.
 17. Theimprovement of claim 16, wherein the drive means includes a rotatabledriving gear and further comprising a lever pivotally mounted at one endconcentrically with the driving gear and carrying said gear of the geartrain at its other end.